Honolulu Zoo
add photosThe Zoo parking lot entrance is on Kapahulu Ave and charges twenty-five cents per hour. The Shell parking lot across the street on Monsarrat Ave has free parking.
17 Reviews for Honolulu Zoo
1
00 families found this helpful
"Honolulu Zoo is a hidden gem"
Most people don't think of visiting the zoo while they are on vacation in Hawaii, but the Honolulu Zoo is fantastic. They have great exhibits, lots of animals, and a beautiful zoo. It's never too crowded, and so it's a great place to take the family when you're looking for something different to do.
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0 families found this helpful
"Better ways to spend your time on Oahu"
I like to visit zoos everywhere I travel. This one is disappointing. It's small, a bit run down, and lots of animals were off exhibit when we were there. The biggest problem isn't so much the zoo itself, as the fact that there are solo many better things to do in Oahu. Unless you have a long stay or really love zoos...skip it.
0 families found this helpful
"Ideal family outing"
The Honolulu Zoo is an affordable, beautiful, and very family-friendly place to spend the day. There are several habitats, but the most noteworthy is the savanna. There, you can see among other animals, giraffes, hippos, and zebras. The "keiki (children's) zoo" has been renovated and is a great place for kids to pet a goat, see beautiful fish up close, or talk story with a llama. Some of the great amenities are the play structure, numerous bathrooms, and a pretty good snack bar/restaurant. It's NOT the San Diego zoo, but families will have a fun time here.
0 families found this helpful
"Fun activity for the kids"
What kid doesn't love the zoo? We loved the elephants especially. There's also a lot for the young kids to do and animals that they can pet. The kids love getting up close and personal with every animal they can so this is a great place that we love to go to!
0 families found this helpful
"relaxing, great for kids"
we have a membership and go alot the animals here are always doing something fun! the chimps are a hoot!!! they didnt seem to be too fond of my kids and came running at the glass and hit it it was a little scary but you never get to see that! nice huge shady areas to have a picnic, kids play grounds and the petting zoo is too much fun with a giant fish tank to climb through! i love this place and you can always see the animals
0 families found this helpful
"Great fun"
The zoo is lots of fun for children and adults of all ages. It's close to most hotels in the Waikiki area. It does take a while to get through the zoo so be prepared with snacks, hats and sunscreen. The zoo is stroller friendly or your can rent one when you are there. If your hotel is near the zoo which many are you can even take your little ones back for a nap and then return to the zoo later.
0 families found this helpful
"Lion is coming!"
My family ( I , husband and 4 yrs) had been a member of this zoo. Everytime we go, we find something new about an animal. I recommend to go early to find a parking easily. We just got a newsletter that finally lion is back ! He just arrived from San Diego Zoo. We can't wait to see hime : )
'11, '12
1 family found this helpful
"Fun Zoo to see"
This Zoo was really nice and there was tons of shade and places for the kids to relax and take a break. There was a very nice play ground and little mock farm set up for the kids to explore. The Cheetah exhibit was really cool, it was almost like the Cheetahs were over head and stocking you!
We brought lunch here and we really had a great time, this Zoo really has a similar feel to the LA Zoo so if you have been there you will feel at home at the Honolulu Zoo!
0 families found this helpful
"Lots to see"
The zoo is a great place to take the whole family. They have a wonderful children area that has child specific exhibits, that include goat petting, a huge fish tank that kids can crawl under and make it seem like they are in the water, and many others. The prices are ok, if you are visiting, i think they are a bit on the expensive side, but if you are local, i would get a years membership, especially if you are military. A years admission, with discounts on food and the gift shop for starting at $36 for the whole family, you can't beat that. Parking can be a bit of a pain to find cause the zoo is right across from the Waikiki beach, and make sure your bring quarters for the parking meter. The kids love the zoo. all in all i would say it is a great family fun place!!
1 family found this helpful
"It's Come A Long Way"
I recently chaperoned my daughter's field trip to the Honolulu Zoo and I have to say it's gotten so much better since the last time I was there.
We must have visited at a good time because we were able to see a lot of the animals playing and lounging in their natural habitat. We especially liked Rusty the Orangutan's new spacious home and watching the Siberian Tiger pace back and forth.
However, what makes this zoo great for kids is the Discovery Center. Here my daughter had the opportunity to do a lot of hands-on activities which included being in a fish tank and a chicken coup!
There's also a playground where the kids can run around and burn off extra steam. It's located right across the concession stand and it's a great area to have a picnic. Btw, you can bring in your own food and drink which really helps keep your costs down. However, don't forget to at least get the shave ice. It's perfect for a hot Hawaiian day!
While you're there, don't forget to check out their other events like Twilight Tours, Snooze in the Zoo, Junior Zookeeper Program, Breakfast with a Keeper, & Star Gazing.
1 family found this helpful
"Terrific Zoo for Littles"
The Honolulu Zoo is not huge and does not have a tremendous variety of animals but this is why we love it. I have a 1 and a 3 year old and the two of them can walk the zoo. We plan on spending about four hours at the zoo (pack a lunch) and casually meander our way through the zoo. The difference is, many of the bigger zoos are just too big for this age group. We found at bigger zoos, we can't see monkeys, giraffes, elephants, and hippos all in one trip because the kids are worn out before we make it through. This is not the case with this zoo...which makes it perfect for little legs that want to be independent. If you plan on attending the Honolulu Zoo more then twice per year, make sure you check out the Memberships. Family packages start at $40 - and it doesn't matter if you have a Hawaii ID or not (we buy memberships for the grandparents when they come out to visit for 2 weeks - figuring they will take the kids there at least twice). This is by far my kids favorite thing to do on the island.
1 family found this helpful
"Fun for hours"
We love taking our kids to the Honolulu Zoo. We have an annual pass, but for visitors fee admission is very reasonable at $12 for adults and $3 for kids, especially since you can spend all day there. Our boys ( 3 yrs. and 15 mos.) love the keiki zoo where they can crawl through tunnels to be inside the fish tank and guinea pig homes. Our 3 year old particularly loves trying to find the cheetahs in the Savannah area and watching three baby tigers grow (they were born within the last year at the zoo). We recommend packing a little lunch or snack to bring with you and a few bottles of water. The zoo is great fun to walk around, but it does get a bit hot.
0 families found this helpful
"Great for kids of all ages"
Our family lived in Oahu for the last 4 years, and we've gone once every year. The zoo offers a lot of the typical zoo animals from Hippos, tigers, monkeys,. and elephants. My kids favorite part would be the Keiki zoo (Keiki is Hawaiian for kids), a petting zoo for animals like pigs and goats. There is also a koi fish tank that the kids could go through as well as follow a guniea pig track. The nene bird, Hawaii's state bird, has a special sanctuary. Peacocks roam around freely, usually by the playground. Pack water and sunscreen sinced it does get pretty hot. Also pack some snacks as the price of food is a little much. Be prepared for a fun time at the Honolulu zoo!
0 families found this helpful
"Fun with the Family"
Families can get in touch with their “wild side” at the Honolulu Zoo, home to more than 1,000 mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Special features for children include a petting zoo full of barnyard animals and a ladder that lets them climb to the eye level of a giraffe. The Reptile House is also popular with children, as is the Elephant Encounter, but by far the most impressive feature is the African Savanna. This exhibit lacks the barrers or fences found in most zoos to keep the animals restricted to a certain place. Instead, creatures such as hippos, zebras, rhinos, lions, chimpanzees, baboons, and antelopes wander freely throughout land that’s configured to resemble their natural African habitat. You’ll feel as if you’re walking through a wild jungle!
Just outside the zoo is a huge old banyan tree that’s home to thousands of white pigeons. These pigeons are not indigenous to Hawaii but have flourished here and grown to an immense population. Nearby convenience stores (such as the ever present ABC, Hawaii’s version of a Circle K or 7-Eleven) sell birdseed that you can feed to the pigeons. The birds have been feeding off the generosity of visitors for so long that they have become tame enough to eat right from an outstretched hand.
1 family found this helpful
"Small and manageable"
Just off of Waikiki, this zoo is a nice change of pace from the beaches. It's a nice zoo for young kids because it's fairly small. In less than 90 minutes, we were able to see almost the entire thing. Our 2 year old liked the lemurs and tortoises the most. The problem with a small zoo is that they often only have 2-3 of each animal, so if they're sleeping, hiding or sick, you'll be out of luck. That's what happened to us with the chimpanzees and tigers.
2 families found this helpful
"Not the Old Zoo"
If you haven't been there in a while you will be pleasantly surprised by the changes. The children's zoo is so much fun and the exhibits seem to be more animal friendly. If you are staying in Waikiki you may be in walking distance (go ahead and ask your hotel how far it is). It's a nice change from the touristy Hawaii.
3 families found this helpful
"A gem to discover in Waikiki"
We discovered the Honolulu Zoo in December 2007 and made it the focal point of our 2008 trip. Its an easy walk from all Waikiki resorts, we made the 1 mile trek every day from the Embassy Suites. There are more animals and exhibits than you would expect from Giraffes and Zebras to Chimps, Orangoutangs, Tigers and a pair of Komodo Dragons. Membership is super-cheap and well worth it given the zoo's reciprocity with mainland zoos.
Went back in 2009 and discovered the Twilight Tour of the Zoo. We met at dusk after the zoo closed and had a private extremely well guided tour for about 1.5 hours. I think it was $13 dollars per person, but so worth it! It was incredible with tons of insights into the family units and their histories by the tour guide. The hands-down highlight was the hippo feeding. There's a lot of walking with a flashlight, so bring a stroller for little ones.
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